


Slow and Deliberate

by clockwork_fayz



Category: The Queen's Gambit (TV)
Genre: F/M, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:48:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28959735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockwork_fayz/pseuds/clockwork_fayz
Summary: “Beth, listen to me.  Love isn’t always some cosmic connection. Sometimes it's slow and deliberate, keeps you thinking that someone is just a friend until one day you look at them and you just know.”
Relationships: Beth Harmon/Benny Watts, Roger Dione/D. L. Townes
Comments: 18
Kudos: 130





	1. Chapter 1

The irony was not lost on Beth: the fact that she had a so-called “harem of chess boys” that followed her every move yet the one she had always pined for she would never get. She mulled this over in her head on the plane back to the states as her irritated bodyguard slept. Maybe it wasn’t right of her to run off in Russia, but it felt so freeing. 

It was Jolene who had called her numerous chess friends her “harem”. Beth had told her best friend the ups and downs of her love life, or more like her lack of one. 

“Damn Harmon, you have boys and girls tripping over themselves to be with you! And you really ain’t in love with any of them?”

Beth had smiled at her, shrugging softly. “They are just friends to me. I don’t feel any sort of cosmic connection or whatever you are supposed to feel when you are in love.”

“But you did with this Townes guy?”

“I felt...something.”

Jolene shook her head. “Beth, listen to me. Love isn’t always some cosmic connection. Sometimes it's slow and deliberate, keeps you thinking that someone is just a friend until one day you look at them and you just know.”

“Oh and how would you know this miss ‘I’m sleeping with my boss`?'' Beth said, taking a sip of her coffee. Jolene smacked her on the arm.

“I know things. You may be smart when it comes to things like chess, but I am people smart. I know things about the universe.”

Beth snorted and tried to stifle her laughter. 

“Laugh all you want Harmon, but which of the two of us went to college.”

Beth smiled thinking back at the memory now on the plane. She had been thinking a lot about Jolene’s words. She considered that Jolene may be right, and one day she would look up and realize she was in love with her friend all along. But who that may be, she had no clue. 

“Are you still living with Roger?” Beth asked Townes the night before her match with Borgov. He was sitting drinking tea while helping her study the board.

“I am,” he smiled. “Roger has been very interested in your progress. I told him I would call right after the match was over tomorrow.” 

She thought there would be a pain in her chest when he talked about Roger, but there was nothing.

“Tell me about him.”

Townes shook his head. “We should keep studying.”

“I need a break. Really quick. Tell me about him.”

Townes sighed, but complied. As Beth listened to Townes talk about how he thought Roger was the love of his life, Beth felt herself at peace. 

“I am happy for you Townes,” she said, “I really mean it.” 

“You will have to come over for dinner. Roger would love it.”

“I will,” she replied, and she vowed to herself that she would. 

Of course that would have to be after all the madness calmed down and she was back home in Kentucky. 

The plane landed early on a Monday morning and Beth was whisked away to the white house where she met the president. The next couple of days followed a similar pattern where she was brought to one place after another, doing interviews, taking pictures, and avoiding questions on how she felt about the Russians (she didn’t want to be seen as a communist, but of course the people she met in Russia were all lovely so talking ill of them seemed wrong). 

There was a surprise for her when they landed in New York at the airport. 

“Do you know these people?” her bodyguard asked. 

Her eyes were wide with excitement. “My harem!”

“Your what now?”

Beth ran to Benny’s open arms, gleefully laughing as he twirled her around. As soon as he set her down, she turned and ran into Harry who wrapped her in a bearhug. Mike, Matt, Wexler, and Levertov were to follow. 

“I knew you could do it,” Benny smiled, 

“Thank you,” she addressed them all, “I couldn’t have done it without any of you. You are the best team I could ask for. And I’d like to apologize for treating you all like shit these past few months instead of getting help.”

“Apology accepted,” Mike said, “Though I don’t know exactly what you mean.”

She had the most wonderful time in New York. When she was done with her press junket, she decided to stay a week longer so she could spend time with her friends.

“You don’t have to stay here,” Benny said to her the first night as he walked her back to her hotel from the bar (where Beth only had coke much to everyone’s delight.). “You know you are always welcome at my place.”

“As much as I love sleeping on an air mattress in your living room, I think I will stick with the hotel’s king sized.”

“You don’t have to sleep on the air mattress.”

Beth stopped walking, facing Benny. 

“I don’t think that is such a good idea.”

Benny shrugged. “I don’t know, we could make some popcorn, play a little speed chess...”

Beth cut him off. “There is a reason that I have been avoiding playing speed chess with you Watts.” Her voice got serious. “Benny, we shouldn’t sleep together. I don’t want… I don’t want to complicate things again. Having you stop talking to me once was bad enough.”

He sighed, starting to walk again. “You’re right. I don’t like it, but you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” she said, eliciting a smile back on his face, “And I am fine in the hotel. I have plenty of winnings to spend on a nice room.”

“You better, you owe me. Calls to Russia ain’t cheap.”

Beth laughed, “Well you aren’t the only one I owe. I owe a hefty chunk to my best friend back home for paying for my trip there.”

Benny made a mock look of hurt. “I thought I was your best friend.”

“You don’t fuck your best friend.”

That made him pause. “I don’t think there are any rules against it.”

“I thought we just determined that sleeping together again was a bad idea.”

“I didn’t bring it up, you did.” 

Sometimes she really wanted to smack that smirk off his face. 

“Well this is my stop,” she said as they reached the shiny front doors. “Breakfast tomorrow? I’ll buy as part of my payment for that long distance phone call.”

“I’ll be here, 8 o’clock.”

“10 o’clock.”

“9. And I will be ordering a full meal. Remember we were on the phone for hours.”

Beth rolled her eyes but agreed. 

The rest of the week flew by too fast. She wished she could stay longer, but she had commitments in Lexington. Harry, who had left days earlier, was to pick her up at the airport that night to drive her home. Benny dropped her off.

“Will I see you soon?” he asked, pulling her luggage out of the trunk. “I am going to be at a tournament in Miami in a few weeks.”

“I am going to take a break from tournaments for awhile.”

“Beth Harmon? Taking a break from chess?”

“Not chess,” she replied, “Just from tournaments. In Moscow I played at the park with some lovely gentlemen. It was so freeing just playing for fun.”

“Well if you ever want someone to play with for fun,” he said, putting the luggage in front of her. “Call me up.”

Beth wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Can we go back to our weekly phone calls? Wednesday nights?”

“Wednesday nights. I am all yours.”

She felt a bit of reluctance when he let her go. She bade him goodbye and started to walk away, but felt the need to turn around again. He was still watching her and he held up a hand in a wave. She waved back, finally mustering the willpower to turn her back on him. 

It was surprising to her how quickly she fell back into the pattern of living at home. She felt herself fall in a familiar schedule and it was almost refreshing. She met with Jolene almost every weekend to eat or to go shopping or to just play squash. She volunteered to teach chess to children at the local middle school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and she was surprised how much she loved doing it. She worked on renovating her house, keeping her busy with the project of recarpenting the floor or changing the wallpaper in the kitchen. 

And of course on Wednesdays she had her weekly calls with Benny. 

They were racking up quite the bill those days. They would spend hours playing chess over the phone, though of course it wasn’t the same as playing in person. Sometimes the conversation would drift to other topics like how Benny was currently trying to quit his gambling addiction or Beth would rave on and on about one of her students.

“I’m telling you this girl has so much potential!” she said into the phone, lying on the couch. “But her father disapproves so her mother is pretending to take her to sewing class.”

“Sounds like you are doing a lot for her,” Benny said. 

“I hope I am. I am trying to convince her mother to let her enter the junior chess

tournament. She has a good chance of winning.”

Benny stayed silent on the other end of the phone and somehow she knew that he was smiling.

“What?” she asked. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No. I just love hearing you talk about something you are so passionate about. I am so happy for you.”

She loved those Wednesday night phone calls. It was her favorite part of the week. 

A couple of months after returning home, Beth finally was able to go over to Townes’s place to have dinner with him and Roger.

“Beth you look wonderful,” he greeted her at the door, kissing her on the cheek, then 

whispering “I hope you like lasagna, Roger insisted on cooking himself.” 

“I love lasagna,” she whispered back and then stepped into the home. It was a quaint little place, the perfect size for two. Roger came out of the kitchen with open arms.

“Beth! I am so glad that you are here.”

Beth smiled and hugged him. “It is so nice to see you again Roger.”

“You must tell me all about your trip to Moscow. Townes gave me a play by play of your victory, but I bet it’s much more fascinating from you.”

“I doubt that,” Beth laughed, allowing herself to be led into the dining room. 

The more time that she spent with Roger, the more she could see why Townes liked him. He was not only attractive, but extremely charming. 

Beth told him as much when Townes and her took a walk around the neighborhood after dinner to catch up. 

“He is only charming when he wants to impress someone,” Townes said, “And he really wanted to impress you. I think he is a little in awe that I am good friends with such an esteemed person.”

Good friends is exactly what it felt like to Beth as well. It seemed as if her crush on him had been replaced by an overwhelming love of platonic friends. 

Although she was happy with this development, seeing Roger and Townes so in love made her a little sad that she didn’t have someone like that.

“Townes, tell me. How did you know you were in love with Roger?”

Townes first seemed taken aback by the question, but answered her most honestly. 

“Well we met at a writing class, like I’ve told you before. And it took an embarrassingly long time to realize that I was in love with him. I didn’t even know that I liked...well that I liked men yet. Then my mother passed away, I was very close to her. And he stayed with me for days while I cried and he took care of me. And when I was finally recovering, I looked at him and I suddenly saw how much he cared about me. And I knew then that I loved him, even though he was a man.”

“That is very sweet.”

“Why do you ask? Have you found someone you think you are in love with?”

Beth shook her head. “No, not that I’m aware of. I am not even for sure I know what love is.”

Townes bumped her shoulder with his own. “Well when you do find someone, let me know. Someone has to threaten them not to break your heart.”

Beth laughed. “Oh I will most likely be the heartbreaker, for sure. But thank you.” 

She contemplated on what Townes said for days afterwards. Was there someone who had ever shown her love like Roger did to Townes? Was she just stupid and couldn’t see it?

It was a beautiful Wednesday morning and Beth decided that it was the perfect day to paint the house. She got the ladder out of the garage and turned the radio up loud in the kitchen so she could hear it from the open window. She hummed along as she hauled her supplies up the ladder and sat them down. 

She was thinking about nothing in particular: a chess game she had read about in her new book, what she was going to talk about with Benny tonight on the phone, her plans to teach the next day during chess club at the middle school. There was just a strip that she needed to paint that was a little out of reach, so she leaned a little to the left. 

One moment she was humming along to her song, and the next she felt the ladder start to tip and gravity take over as she fell with a loud thud on the ground below. Then everything was black. 

She woke up in a strange car that was not her own. She struggled to sit up.

“Oh no, Beth dear, stay still. I am driving you to the hospital.”

Beth recognized the voice but could not place it. All she could think of was how her head felt like it had broken in two. She slipped back into a sleep.

When she woke up for the second time, she was laying in a hospital bed. Her room was a stark white to the point where it was almost blinding to the eye. 

“Hello Miss Harmon, that was quite the tumble you took there.”

A doctor had entered the room, smiling at her. She looked at him confused. “I did?”

He sat down on the stool beside her bed. “Yes. What do you remember, Miss Harmon?”

She thought for a minute, realizing that a large chunk of her memory must be missing. “I was painting the house. And I was thinking about what I was going to make for dinner. And then I don’t remember anything.”

“Well let me fill in the gaps for you. Your ladder somehow lost balance and you fell and hit your head on the ground below. You really shouldn’t be on ladders when no one is around. Your neighbor, Mrs. Wright, heard your scream and got her husband. They drove you here. It’s about 6 o’clock now.”

“Am I alright?”

“You definitely have a nice concussion. I want to keep you overnight as a precaution, but if everything looks good in the morning you will be free to go home to rest. No broken bones as far as I can tell, but you will have some nasty bruises all over. You probably will be in some pain for the next few days; not unbearable but very sore.”

Beth nodded, laying back down on her pillow. “Thank you doctor.”

“Of course. I will tell the nurse to bring you in some dinner. Is there anybody I can call for you?”

“I will need to call my friend to pick me up in the morning. Here is her number.”

The hospital food was bland but Beth scarfed it down. Afterwards she read a little bit from the magazines the nurses brought her but it gave her a splitting headache. She decided to rest her eyes and listen to the radio. The next time she opened them, sunlight was shining through her window.

Jolene came in soon after with some new clothes and some toiletries. 

“Harmon, I told you that I would help you paint. Why didn’t you wait until Saturday?”

“It was nice outside, I was afraid it would rain over the weekend.” 

Jolene rolled her eyes. “Okay, but next time please don’t be climbing any ladders unless they are properly stabilized! You don’t know how many injury settlements I’ve seen involving ladders.”

The doctor came in and informed her that they would have for a little bit longer before her test results came back. 

“Would you like a prescription for a painkiller?” the doctor asked. He almost jumped a little when both women shouted “NO!” 

“I will tough it out,” Beth said. 

Beth was showing Jolene some of the outfits she liked from a catalog she was reading 

when they heard someone running down the hallway. Both women’s eyes went to the door as a disheveled man with a cowboy hat burst in.

“Benny?”

“Beth!” he exclaimed, rushing to the bedside. “Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened?”

“Benny, slow down! I’m fine, really,” she assured. “But what are you doing here?”

“When you didn’t pick up the phone last night I got worried. You’ve never missed a call before, so I caught the first plane out here I could get. I was knocking on your door when your neighbor came out and said you were in the hospital!”

“Oh this is one of your harem boys!” Jolene said happily, “The one you said dresses like a washed out pirate!”

Benny looked at her strangely then back at Beth. “Your what?”

“Nevermind that. Uhm Jolene, could you…?”

Jolene looked at her non-existent watch and exclaimed. “Oh look at the time! I didn’t think it would take this long. Beth, could you manage to find another ride home? I got to get to work.”

Beth smiled at her. “I can do that. Thank you Jolene.”

Jolene hugged her goodbye and when she was out of the eyeline of Benny gave Beth a big thumbs up and mouthed “he’s cute!”. Beth waved her off.

“You really didn’t have to come here,” Beth said to Benny when Jolene was gone. “It’s just a concussion they think. I should be able to leave soon.”

“I didn’t know what had happened Beth.” He sat down in the chair beside her bed. “When you didn’t pick up...I was afraid you had relapsed. And then they said you were in the hospital and I thought...I thought you might have...”

Beth’s heart broke at seeing him so afraid for her. He thought she had overdosed. She took his hand in hers, and squeezed it firmly. 

“I fell off a ladder while painting my house. I’m alright Benny. I am perfectly fine.”

He sat silent for a moment, and Beth could see him slowly start to relax. She wanted to take him in her arms right now and let him feel that she was alright as well. But instead she just waited until he was ready to talk again. 

He slowly brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it ever so gently. It was an intimate moment, at least it felt like that to Beth. Of course it had to be ruined by the doctor coming in with results. 

“Well you are all good to go Miss Harmon,” he said, “I want you to go straight home and

rest for the next day. Do not overexert yourself.” 

If the doctor was confused why her black friend was now replaced with a man with a knife on him, he didn’t say anything.

Benny drove her home and insisted on carrying her things into the house. He then proceeded to make her comfortable on the couch with a large blanket, made her some coffee, and went outside to put the ladder and painting supplies away. He probably would have finished painting the house for her if she had asked.

She had the TV on but couldn’t pay attention through all the noise that Benny was 

making in the kitchen. He insisted on making her a lunch even though she told him that making a sandwich was not physically strenuous. She could see him through the door, diligently working on creating the perfect ham and cheese sandwich. 

He caught her eye once as he turned to the fridge and gave her a smile. She felt her heart start to beat faster. He was truly something amazing. 

And seeing him, lit in the dull light of her kitchen, she was starting to feel something. One thought came to her mind.

So this is what love felt like. 

Like someone who travels hours to check up on her. Who spent money every week just to talk to her. Like someone who makes her laugh and smile like no one else does. 

It was just like Jolene and Townes had told her. Love had crept up on her and now it was hitting her like a brick. 

She was in love with Benny Watts. 

Who would have thought? 

Benny walked into the living room and handed her a plate. 

“There you go Miss Harmon, one ham and cheese sandwich with potato chips on the side and a glass of coke.”

He noticed Beth was staring at him.

“What? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Do you want to play some speed chess?”

Benny almost dropped his plate. “What?”

Beth shrugged. “We haven’t played in awhile. I was just thinking about how all I really want to do is to play some speed chess.”

Benny swallowed, taking a seat. “And uhm, are you thinking...about what typically comes after we play speed chess?”

Beth took a sip of her coke before responding. “Yes I was thinking about that too.”

He waited for her to elaborate. “And?”

“I would like that as well.”

If Benny wasn’t pale before, he sure was now. “Are you serious? I thought we 

determined that it was a bad idea if we went back to fucking.”

Beth set her plate on the side table before getting up and approaching him. She brushed a stray curl off his face.

“I really do love your hair,” she said, before meeting his eyes. “ I don’t want to fuck you Benny Watts. I want to love you.”

She could almost feel his heart stop as she looked at him, his eyes on hers. She glanced down towards his lips, questioning if she could move on. His eyes fluttered shut and she had a smile on her lips as she leaned forward to meet him. It started out sweet and slow, like he was still in disbelief that this was real. Then she moved her hand to his hair and pulled ever so slightly and it was like something had awoken him. He pulled her onto his lap and she eagerly let him. He poured out every emotion he had for her against her lips: elation that she was kissing him, fear that she would leave again, hopeful that this time she would stay. His kisses were getting more intense, more needy, and his hands roamed against her back as if he couldn’t decide where his favorite place to hold her was. 

He brushed over one of her bruises and she let out a small yelp

He pulled back at once, cursing.

“Shit Beth, I forgot you’re hurt. I am so sorry, I took it too far.”

Beth hushed him. “No, no please don’t say that. It’s just a little tender is all.” She decided not to tell him that her head was actually hammering.

“You better rest, your doctor said to not overexert yourself.”

“I won’t, we can take it really slow.” 

He was about to protest but she leaned to kiss the spot right behind his ear that she remembered drove him crazy.

“Okay, slow.”

He picked her up in one movement, carrying her upstairs to the bedroom. And they did take it slow. Almost painstakingly slow for Beth. She was lost in every kiss, every touch, every breath on her skin. 

Later she napped against him, a familiar feeling of warmth spreading across her as she dozed off. She had really missed this part. 

When she woke up he had gotten out a chess board and was preparing some pasta for dinner. She stalked right over to him and kissed him once more, because she simply could not resist.

After several rounds of speed chess and among other activities later, Beth was laying in his arms in bed as he was running his fingers through her hair.

“Do you really love me?” he asked, almost hesitant as if he was afraid to know the answer.

“Yes. I do.”

“How do you know?” 

She turned her head and gave him a quick peck. “Because I’m considering moving to New York just so I can be with you every day.”

He smiled at her and said, “I would never make you sell Alma’s house.”

She laid her cheek back on his chest, feeling the rise and fall from his breathing. 

“Do you love me?” she asked. 

“I do. I have loved you for a very long time.”

“When did you know?”

Benny stayed silent for a moment before replying.

“Since the day I woke up with you in my bed and I thought to myself, this is the most beautiful, smart, amazing girl you have ever met. You cannot let her go.”

Beth sighed in content, thinking about how happy she was that everything worked out in the end.

She fell asleep in his arms, happy at the thought that tomorrow she would wake up and still be in them. Love had been slow and deliberate with Benny, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. 


	2. The Dinner Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days of loving bliss for Benny and Beth comes to a stop when Benny invites Beth's old flame to dinner and realizes that there is a lot he doesn't know about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was going to be a one shot, it really was but then I kept re-reading it and thought that I had so much more to tell!

“You’ll never believe who I just ran into at the supermarket!” 

Beth didn’t even open her eyes from where she was laying on the couch. In fact she was a little irritated that Benny was talking so loud when he knew that she had been napping. Though he had been an absolute doll the last couple days so she wasn’t going to say anything.

It had been two days since she had told Benny that she was in love with him. Two beautiful days of him taking care of her when he really didn’t need to, kissing her every chance that he could, and of course playing chess in between the two things.

She could hear that Benny had gone into the kitchen, dropping the bags on the counter. “Did you hear me Beth? Guess who I ran into at the supermarket!”

Beth groaned, opening one eye to see him expectantly looking at her from the doorway.

“I don’t know Benny, who did you see at the supermarket?”

“Harry! You didn’t tell me he worked there.”

Beth sat up on her elbows. “Oh yeah, he does. How is Harry?”

“Good,” Benny replied, turning back to unload the groceries, “I hadn’t talked to him since your game in Moscow. I invited him to come to dinner tonight.”

Beth sat up so quickly, she almost fell off the couch.

“You what?”

“Well I thought it might be nice for us all to catch up. And of course he’s a pretty decent chess player. Not anywhere close to you or I, but I thought you might want to play someone else for a change.”

Beth clasped her hands together, her elbows resting on her knees and her chin on her hands. “Benny, come here for a second.”

Benny appeared in the living room. 

Beth gave him a pleasant smile but her body language was screaming annoyance, making Benny know that he had somehow messed up.

“I thought you’d be happy. Harry is your friend, yeah?”

“Benny. Darling. Did you tell Harry about us being together?”

Benny spoke with caution, afraid to say the wrong thing. “No, I figured that is something we should decide together. When to tell people.”

Beth nodded. “Yes, that is very smart.” She stood up, crossing her arms and pacing across the room. She turned to face him. 

“Tell me Benny, why did you think it was a good idea to invite my ex lover over for dinner with us?”

Benny’s eyes grew wide. He opened his mouth to say something, his finger pointing to her, but then closed it again. Beth waited in patient yet very awkward silence.

“You and Beltick-....you and Beltick slep-...what? When did this happen?”

“He lived with me Benny! What did you expect?!?”

Benny crossed his arms. “Do you sleep with everyone you live with?”

If looks could kill, Beth was murdering him right now. “Oh shut up. Alma had just died, he was here and I was lonely.”

Benny immediately was apologetic, but asked, “You did only sleep together right? You weren’t in a relationship or anything?”

Beth bit her lip nervously. “Well he loved me.”

“What?!?”

“But I didn’t feel anything like that for him back!” she added quickly.

“But he told you he loved you?” 

“Well he told me he spent his tuition money to fix his teeth for me.”

“He-?” Benny stopped and sat down in the armchair. He put his head in his hands and sat there for a moment. When he finally looked up to Beth he asked, “Does he still love you?”

Beth shrugged. “We don’t exactly talk about it Benny.”

Benny gave a slight nod. “Okay. Okay, this will be fine. That was years ago, we’re fine. I am sure there will be no hard feelings.”

He got up suddenly and stalked over to Beth. When he was right in front of her, he said, “You are sure you never loved him?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious right now Watts?”

He blinked.

She smirked, wrapping her arms around his shoulders loosely. “I promise I am not and never was in love with him. Though I kind of like this jealous look on you. So maybe I am in love with him still.”

He grabbed her by the waist, pulling her roughly to him and she laughed as she met his lips.

As Benny made dinner in the kitchen, Beth was upstairs pacing. She had broken Harry one too many times before, and she really didn’t want to hurt him anymore. She wished she could call and explain the situation and cancel dinner, but somehow she thought that would be worse. So she did the only thing that would calm her down. She called Jolene.

It took three minutes for Jolene to stop laughing after Beth explained what had happened. 

“We should see if that Cleo girl is in town, that would be a great party.”

Beth sighed. “Jolene, you are supposed to be helping me.”

“I know, I know, but-” Jolene snorted, “How does this even happen to someone? Like what are the chances that two guys you used to hook up with run into each other at the supermarket? Well I guess pretty high if y’all are all chess people. You should have seen this coming.”

“Jolene, are you going to help me come up with ideas or not?” Beth interrupted, “Because I don’t need someone pointing out the obvious.”

“Okay, okay calm down. How about I come over? That might ease some of the tension.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come over just to watch if it’s a trainwreck?”

Jolene giggled. “Okay I would love to see someone get punched. Do you think that would happen?”

“I don’t know, neither seem very scrappy. Though Benny carries a knife on him.”

“Ok a stabbing would be a little much for me. But seriously Beth, would you rather have it be just you, your new boyfriend, and your ex OR you, your new boyfriend, your ex, and me?”

Beth had to agree. “Okay, you can come over. Come around seven?” 

Beth headed downstairs and called out to Benny. 

“Hey Jolene is going to come over for dinner as well so you can meet her.”

Benny stopped cutting the vegetables and banged his head against the cabinet.

Beth looked at him with an amused expression. 

“Are you okay there?”

“I am going to need more potatoes.”

At five til seven, the bell rang. Beth took a deep breath, glancing over at Benny. She prayed it was Jolene at the door, but knew Harry was much more punctual than Jolene.

“Harry,” she greeted him as she opened the door, giving him a hug. 

“Beth, how are you? Benny told me that you were in the hospital.”

“I’m fine,” she smiled, “Just some bumps and bruises.”

Benny walked out of the kitchen, sticking out his hand to Harry. 

“Good to see you again,” Benny said as he shook it. When he let go, Benny snaked his arm around Beth’s waist. She could see Harry noticed it immediately. 

Harry froze, his gaze locked onto the fingers that were gripping her waist. Beth could feel Benny’s grip tighten even though the smile on his face never faltered. 

Beth moved out of Benny’s grasp, gesturing toward the dining room. 

“Shall we? Another friend will be here soon, but we can start without her.”

Harry swallowed and nodded. In the dining room Benny pulled out Beth’s chair for her. She smiled at the gesture but could see out of the corner of her eyes that Harry was watching their every movement. Benny sat down beside her, his hand going to hers and squeezing it. She took a deep breath. It was fine, everything was fine. Except that Harry looked like he was going to vomit and Benny was clearly so tense the vein in neck looked like it would pop. Where was Jolene?

Harry looked between the two of them. “So, uhm, you two are…?”

“Dating,” Benny said, “Yes. We are.”

“Oh. That’s lovely.”

Beth pushed the vegetables on her plate. “Yep.”

Harry gave a slight nod. “How long have you been, uhm-?”

“A while.”

Beth gave Benny an incredulous look. 

“Well, we’ve had a thing for awhile,” Benny clarified. “Couple years.”

Harry looked between the two of them. “Oh, you never told me Beth-”

“We just started dating,” Beth interrupted, giving Benny a little glare. “Would you like some potatoes Harry?”

Harry took them and thanked her quietly. The silence that followed could not have been more awkward. Beth thought that the tension was higher in this room than when she was in Russia. 

“So you’re working in a supermarket?” Benny asked with fake politeness. “Make much doing that?”

Beth silently cursed him. 

“Yes, while I’m in school,” Harry said, staring down at his food. “It pays the bills.”

“Got any girls in your life?”

Beth stamped on his foot.

“No, no one at the moment,” Harry replied, glancing over at Beth. 

When the doorbell rang, Beth stood up abruptly. 

“That must be Jolene,” she said, and then muttered under breath, “Thank god.” She 

hurried to the door, relieved when she opened it and her best friend stood there.

“Hey Harmon, sorry I’m late, traffic you know. I brought a pie! If anybody asks, I made it myself.” Jolene then lowered her voice. “Is he here?”

Beth nodded grimly. “It’s not going well.”

“Don’t worry, I can defuse the tension in any room,” winked Jolene, handing her the pie and strutting towards the dining room.

Both men stood up when Jolene entered and she smiled sweetly at them, reaching for Benny’s outstretched hand. 

“Benny right? We met briefly at the hospital. And you must be Harry.” She shook Harry’s hand and sat in the seat beside him. “I am starved. What are we having?”

Jolene wasn’t wrong. She was able to defuse the tension really quickly, at least Beth felt way more comfortable.

“I just don’t understand it one bit,” Jolene said, waving her fork around. “How you can play the same board game over and over and still find it entertaining.”

Benny’s mouth dropped open, Harry was amused and Beth full on laughed. 

“Jolene, I don’t think you should say something so controversial at dinner.”

Jolene took a bite and shrugged. “It’s what I think!”

Benny shook his head. “Beth, how are you friends with this lady again?”

Jolene pointed her fork at him. “Watch yourself, sir, I have been friends with her since before she even knew what a chessboard was.”

“Yet she never taught you to play?” Benny questioned. 

Jolene snorted. “She only played in the basement with the janitor. Besides, I had much better things to do.”

“Like smoking by the dumpster when it was recreation time?” Beth joked.

Jolene gave a curt nod. “Exactly. Amongst other things. Like kicking cans and shit.”

Harry let out a laugh, his eyes sparkling. Beth studied Harry’s body language like she would when he was her opponent. His body was turned ever so slightly so he could watch Jolene. His eyes were on Jolene, listening to her tell her story from the orphanage days. He was relaxed but very intrigued for he had never met someone quite like Jolene. Beth then turned to look at Jolene. She had animated eyes, talking with her hands in big motions. She was enjoying the new company. Benny was relaxed into his chair, his left hand on Beth’s chair as he ate with his right. Of course he noticed she was looking at him right away and gave her a wink. She gave a small smile in return and then focused back into what Jolene was saying.

“Beth was always getting us in trouble, sometimes I think I would have been adopted if it wasn’t for Beth giving me a bad rap.”

“Hey!” Beth exclaimed, “I’m pretty sure it was the other way around.”

Jolene rolled her eyes. “Please honey, which of us broke into the medical office and stole an entire jar of tranquilizers before proceeding to overdose and pass out on the floor.”

Both boys said “What?!?” in unison while Beth glared at Jolene. 

“That was a bad time for me Jolene, but thank you bringing up my drug addiction at the dinner table.”

Jolene nodded. “That’s what I’m here for right?”

“Yes, but let’s not forget the time that you set the bathroom on fire and we had to stand outside in the middle of winter while the fire marshals came,” Beth fired back. 

“Never got caught for that though,” Jolene retorted, “Unlike when you locked Mary Laurens in the hall closet.”

“You deserved to get the rap with me on that, you were the one who told me that I should kick her ass for telling the headmistress that we had magazines stuffed in my pillowcase.”

“Wow Beth, there is a lot that I don’t know about you apparently,” Benny said. She suddenly noticed that his body had gone tense again. She turned to him, her eyes searching his. 

“Trust me, you don’t need to know all what happened in the orphanage days. Not a fun topic.”

But Benny did not ease up. In fact for the rest of dinner, Benny seemed very reserved. Harry, however, seemed to be having a great time. 

“This is a very good pie,” Harry said, swallowing a forkful, “Did you make it?”

Jolene tried to look serious but instead started to laugh. “I’ve had two glasses too much to lie right now. I got this down at the bakery on third street.”

“I thought I recognized the flavors,” Harry smiled at her, “Have you tried their croissants?”

“Have I tried their croissants,” Jolene scoffed, “Just once a week! Beth and I were there 

two weeks ago after we played squash!” 

“You play squash?” Benny asked. Beth could hear the pain in his voice as he spoke and although her mind was going through every scenario of why he might be upset, she could not come to a logical answer.

“Barely,” Beth replied. “Jolene has been forcing me to take lessons with her.”

“It’s all the rage with lawyers these days,” Jolene added. 

“Maybe I could join you sometime?” Harry asked, “I’ve always wanted to learn how to play.”

Beth raised an eyebrow.“Who has always wanted to learn how to play squash?” 

“Of course!” Jolene interjected. “You know what we should also do? Miniature golf.”

Dessert was had and Jolene stated that it was getting late and she had to work tomorrow so she best be heading home. Harry, thankfully, decided to depart as well. As Beth gave him a hug goodbye, he said lowly in her ear:

“You two make a great couple.”

Beth kissed him on the cheek in thanks. 

After many goodbyes and promises that the four of them would get together again soon, Beth closed the door and sighed in relief. 

“That went so much better than I could have hoped,” she said, walking over to where Benny was leaning stiffly against the doorframe to the dining room. 

“Agreed, it was nice.”

Beth crossed her arms and stared at him. 

“What?” he asked.

“I’m trying to figure out why you are unhappy.”

“I’m fine.”

She cocked her head.

He sighed, uncrossing his arms and walking to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. 

“It went well. I’m fine, really.” Then he let go, walking over to the couch and sitting down. She followed him, sitting cross legged facing him. 

“Benny. I know you. I know when you are upset. Now tell me what is wrong.”

Benny sighed, running a hand through his hair. Beth didn’t take her gaze off of him until he spoke.

“I’ve known you for how long now? And I’ve been in love with you for over two years. So how is there so much I don’t know about you?”

Beth considered this. “You know more about me than a lot of people. You know my favorite books and movies, you know where I’m ticklish-”

“Yes but I know nothing about your past. Nothing. All I know is that you were an orphan and a janitor taught you to play chess. And apparently you play squash.” 

Beth shrugged. “That’s all that is important. Not the squash thing, the Mr. Shaibal thing. I don’t know about your upbringing.”

“I grew up in Rhode Island, a child chess prodigy of a professor,” Benny said, looking up at her. “I had no siblings, no pets but a goldfish I named Socrates. My mother died when I was 14. My father when I was 21. All I’ve ever done in life is play chess and travel to tournaments.”

Beth put her hand on his knee.

“I’m sorry about your parents.”

Benny put his hand on top of hers, lost for a second in thought. Then he looked back up at her.

“Can I know about you now?”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything. I want to know you completely Beth Harmon.”

Beth turned her hand so she could interlock her fingers with his. She took a deep breath

and then said, “Well you better get comfy. Because it is quite the story.” 

He listened intently, not interrupting her once as she told about her mother raising her in a trailer and homeschooling her. He didn’t move until she got to the part about the accident. 

“She drove off the bridge,” Beth stated, a tear in her eye, “with me in it. And I think...I was really young so I don’t remember much, but I think that she was just tired. And didn’t know what to do with me.”

Benny reached out and embraced her and she let herself melt into his arms. She didn’t cry beyond the single tear; she had never told anyone about that day before. 

“You don’t have to continue,” he said into her shoulder, turning to kiss her temple. She shook her head.

“No, I want to. I want to tell you everything.”

So they continued. 

“I went to the orphanage at age 9. The first person I met was Jolene. She quickly became my best friend. And I was excelling at my school work, so much so that the teacher didn’t know what to do with me. So I would go to the basement and clean the erasers everyday. And that’s where I met Mr. Shaibal.”

He laughed when she told him of beating the high school chess team. He almost cried when she told him of the overdose.

“You were so young Beth.”

“It helped me think. It helped me see the chessboard on my ceiling at night.”

She told him everything about the orphanage, the different people that came in and out of her life. Then about the day that she was adopted by Alma. 

“I walked into this house that day and thought ‘this is the ugliest house I have ever seen’ which is funny because I hadn’t actually been in any other houses.” 

Beth’s head was laying in Benny’s lap, as she looked up at the ceiling. His fingers were running through her short hair, working out the knots.

“It didn’t even feel like home at first. But after winning that first tournament against Harry, and Alma and I becoming a team, then I felt like I belonged. You should have heard the excuses she would make up for the school. My favorite is when she told them I got bit by a racoon on a camping trip and had to get a rabies vaccination. Anyways, at one particular tournament I met this extremely arrogant man wearing this ridiculous getup. He wasn’t even playing that day. And get this, when I saw him again three years later, he didn’t even remember that we had met before.”

“What an asshole,” Benny smiled. Beth tilted her head so she could meet his gaze. 

“He was. A complete asshole. He robbed me of my victory that year. But I got him back, don’t you worry.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

Beth grinned at him, but continued her story. “After I was crowned co-champions I decided to take Russian classes. Met a guy, lost my virginity, but he sucked in bed. Like really sucked. I graduated high school. Went to Mexico and faced off against Borgov for the first time. You know how well that went. I was so angry about losing. And then I found...I found Alma dead in the hotel room.”

Benny’s hand stilled and cradled her head in his hand. Beth swallowed the lump in her throat. 

“You know she wasn’t the best mother, but she was loving. She did love me. Anyways, I came back home and I was on a self destructive spree when Harry moved in. And that’s when we had our brief relationship. I was grieving and he was here. Taking care of me. I used him.”

She drifted off, thinking for a moment before snapping back.

“I do feel bad for that and one day I will formally apologize I suppose. It was after he moved out that I went to the US Championships and remember that asshole I mentioned? I destroyed him. And he offered to tutor me.”

“Sounds like a great guy.”

Beth sat up, turning around so that she was on her knees inches from his face. 

“He was alright. Told me that sex was off the table and then immediatley fucked me a few weeks later.”

Benny shook his head at her. 

“You really do remember everything don’t you?” 

Beth smiled and leaned forward to peck him on the lips. 

“I suppose you know the rest of it now.” 

He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him. 

“Could you remind me of the important bits?”

Beth chuckled. “I suppose I can give you a quick overview. He taught me all sorts of things, not just chess. Then I left for Paris, totally fucked up my life. Completely. So much so that the guy stopped talking to me and it tore me into pieces. However, I became sober, went to Russia, reconnected with the guy, won, came home, did some other things and then realized that I fell in love with that asshole I met in Cincinnati.”

“And the rest is history,” he finished for her as he met her lips once more. She laughed and pulled away.

“Well I am hoping that the story doesn’t finish there,” she said, brushing a stray piece of hair out of his eyes. 

Those eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked back at her and said:

“Not even close.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This second part took so long because I was very unsure of it. I am so afraid that I will not portray the characters correctly!!! I have this planned out that there is going to be two more parts to their story. Please review what you thought!

**Author's Note:**

> Any one else not satisfied that we didn't even get a kiss between the two of them in the show? 
> 
> Please comment, I need validation in my life


End file.
